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Female Workers but not Women: Paradoxes in Women’s Conditions and Strategies in Swedish Trade Unions, 1900–1925

Uppenberg, Carolina LU orcid (2012) In Moving the Social: Journal of Social History and the History of Social Movements 48. p.49-72
Abstract
This article compares the opportunities that existed for trade union organisation by women and the scope for pursuing women’s issues in the Swedish Tailoring Workers’ Union (Skrädderiarbetareförbundet), the Swedish Textile Workers’ Union (Textilarbetareförbundet) and the Swedish Women’s Trade Union (Kvinnornas fackförbund). Trade union minutes are analysed using theories on women’s organisation, in which exposure of male standards in trade union organisation and the concept of women as powerless are central. The results reveal some differences in the opportunities for women to become members of the Tailoring Workers’ Union, which initially tried to exclude women, and the Textile Workers’ Union, which saw it as a priority to recruit more... (More)
This article compares the opportunities that existed for trade union organisation by women and the scope for pursuing women’s issues in the Swedish Tailoring Workers’ Union (Skrädderiarbetareförbundet), the Swedish Textile Workers’ Union (Textilarbetareförbundet) and the Swedish Women’s Trade Union (Kvinnornas fackförbund). Trade union minutes are analysed using theories on women’s organisation, in which exposure of male standards in trade union organisation and the concept of women as powerless are central. The results reveal some differences in the opportunities for women to become members of the Tailoring Workers’ Union, which initially tried to exclude women, and the Textile Workers’ Union, which saw it as a priority to recruit more women. Nevertheless, both unions shared a similar view of women as weak and especially difficult to organise as trade union members. A lack of debate about women’s conditions is also clear in both unions. Comparison with the Women’s Trade Union shows that dedicated organisations for women played a major role in women’s opportunities for union involvement, but that gender-based union organisation was regarded as a threat to the supposedly genderless trade unions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Trade Unions, women's organization, Sweden, Trade Unions, 1900-1925, Women's Organisation, Comparison
in
Moving the Social: Journal of Social History and the History of Social Movements
volume
48
pages
49 - 72
ISSN
2197-0386
DOI
10.13154/mts.48.2012.49-72
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8a814ccb-5c99-4004-a759-b83191b77728
alternative location
https://moving-the-social.ub.rub.de/index.php/Moving_the_social/article/view/765
date added to LUP
2019-03-19 10:04:21
date last changed
2019-03-19 12:39:20
@article{8a814ccb-5c99-4004-a759-b83191b77728,
  abstract     = {{This article compares the opportunities that existed for trade union organisation by women and the scope for pursuing women’s issues in the Swedish Tailoring Workers’ Union (Skrädderiarbetareförbundet), the Swedish Textile Workers’ Union (Textilarbetareförbundet) and the Swedish Women’s Trade Union (Kvinnornas fackförbund). Trade union minutes are analysed using theories on women’s organisation, in which exposure of male standards in trade union organisation and the concept of women as powerless are central. The results reveal some differences in the opportunities for women to become members of the Tailoring Workers’ Union, which initially tried to exclude women, and the Textile Workers’ Union, which saw it as a priority to recruit more women. Nevertheless, both unions shared a similar view of women as weak and especially difficult to organise as trade union members. A lack of debate about women’s conditions is also clear in both unions. Comparison with the Women’s Trade Union shows that dedicated organisations for women played a major role in women’s opportunities for union involvement, but that gender-based union organisation was regarded as a threat to the supposedly genderless trade unions.}},
  author       = {{Uppenberg, Carolina}},
  issn         = {{2197-0386}},
  keywords     = {{Trade Unions; women's organization; Sweden; Trade Unions; 1900-1925; Women's Organisation; Comparison}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{49--72}},
  series       = {{Moving the Social: Journal of Social History and the History of Social Movements}},
  title        = {{Female Workers but not Women: Paradoxes in Women’s Conditions and Strategies in Swedish Trade Unions, 1900–1925}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.13154/mts.48.2012.49-72}},
  doi          = {{10.13154/mts.48.2012.49-72}},
  volume       = {{48}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}